Young individuals aged 16 to 24 who have been unemployed or out of education for 18 months will soon be offered guaranteed paid work placements, according to a forthcoming announcement by Rachel Reeves. Those who choose not to accept this opportunity may see their benefits withdrawn. This initiative will be presented during her speech at Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool, where she aims to address long-term youth unemployment.
The planned work placements are part of a broader “youth guarantee” initiative announced last November, which ensures that every 18 to 21-year-old in England has access to apprenticeships, training, and job-seeking support. The new initiative specifically targets young people on Universal Credit for 18 months without engaging in work or education, emphasizing skill development for full-time employment. Current statistics indicate that approximately 948,000 young people, or one in eight individuals in this age group, are not in education, employment, or training, with numbers having reached an 11-year high by the end of the previous year.
This scheme is intended to enhance existing government employment support and will involve collaboration with private companies, which are expected to contribute to the funding of the placements. While the government has not disclosed the scheme’s overall cost, it will be financed from budgets established in the earlier spending review. Comprehensive details are anticipated in the upcoming November Budget.
Reeves will also discuss broader themes of opportunity and contribution, advocating for a society where efforts are recognized and rewarded fairly. Furthermore, she plans to propose funding for a library in every primary school in England, addressing the disparity in library access among state primary schools, particularly in disadvantaged areas.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80gj2knrx4o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss